Various processes are known for oxidizing secondary alcohols to give ketones. However, these conventional oxidation processes are associated with numerous disadvantages, e.g.
the use of relatively expensive oxidizing agents in stoichiometric quantities or even in excess, PA1 the separation and disposal of used and unused oxidizing agent, PA1 the production of salts, creating disposal costs and making isolation of the product more difficult, PA1 high pressures, PA1 low selectivity, and PA1 lack of complete conversion. PA1 a. a catalyst applied to an active-carbon support and comprising heteropolyoxometallate anions of vanadium, molybdenum and phosphorus, and also a corresponding alkali-metal, alkaline-earth-metal and/or ammonium counter ion, and PA1 b. a gaseous, oxygen-containing oxidizing agent.
Examples of known established processes are the Oppenauer oxidation using Al systems and the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 oxidation using Ti, Mo and V systems, and transfer (de)hydrogenations.
The conventional processes are therefore frequently expensive and energy-intensive and burdened by considerable material separation problems in the isolation of the product from a complex reaction mixture. It is often difficult to dispose of oxidizing agents and auxiliary chemicals without harming the environment.
An object of the present invention was to provide a process for the selective oxidation of bicyclooctanols to the ketones which avoids the disadvantages of conventional oxidations, has low costs and is environmentally acceptable.
An oxidation process has now been found which uses an active-carbon-supported catalyst comprising a heteropolymetallate anion and which, under mild reaction conditions and even at atmospheric pressure, can use inexpensive oxidizing agents, such as oxygen-containing gases and even air,
and can achieve high conversions and even complete conversion with high selectivities
and without producing salts.